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'So You Think You Can Dance' Recap: The Top 20 Tango

By:
Jessica Isner
Jun 28, 2012

Weeks and weeks of speculation and conspiracies and teasing tweets from Nigel Lythgoe have led to this: The final revealing of this year's So You Think You Can Dance Top 20, or as we like to call it in Nigel-world, the illustrious Green Mile episode.
And it was also the 200th episode of SYTYCD! Who ever would've thought we'd get to this point? Not I. Cat wore a sequined nightshirt made out of a bedspread to celebrate.
In the interest of maintaining the suspense for myself, I avoided spoiler lists all week so I could watch Wednesday's episode with bated breath, like the rest of the world. We started the night with 35 dancers, and by the end of the sort-of-live show, there would be 20. The actual selection process was pretaped, but after each member of the Top 20 was revealed, they performed in small groups on the live stage for the first time this season.
Zooey Deschanel was our guest judge on Wednesday. I wish it was Abby Elliott pretending to be Zooey Deschanel as our guest judge, but I digress. I'm sure her presence on this show has nothing to do with the fact that her show is also on Fox and everything to do with the fact that she's a dancing expert. (Judging by her iPhone commercial.)
The Top 35 came from across the country, each with their own unique story, to Hollywood in order to learn their final fates (dun dun dun!). As the hopefuls processed, one by one, from the holding room into the judges' room, Cat pulled a Heidi Klum and asked, "Are they in? Or are they out?" and right off the bat, we learned that Alexa, our tortured Season 8 veteran, was most definitely in. She was the last lady cut last year, and before she even got the good news, we knew that her manufactured redemption story — not to mention all of that precious screen time — would not go to waste. Still, she got points for arriving at the judging episode dressed like Madonna in "Like A Virgin."
Next up was George Lawrence II, a classical dancer who impressed during his first audition in Atlanta but whom we haven't seen since then. I honestly forgot he existed, but he was added to the Top 20 anyway, as was Will Thomas, who barely even got an intro package.
Megan Branch was the first person cut, but it's okay because I didn't remember her, or Colin Fuller, who was also cut.
Amber Jackson is yet another SYTYCD veteran who was cut during the Season 7 Green Mile episode. Adam Shankman told her it was a strong field of contemporary dancers, and after butchering a moment of would-be suspense, he told her she was one of them. Congrats!
And back to the live show we went! The newest members of the Top 20 gave us the first group performance of the season, choreographed by Tyce Diorio to an acoustic version of "We Found Love" by Jessie J. Interesting. The routine reminded me a lot of the epic dance scene at the end of Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, but maybe I'm just cynical. There was lots of leaping over benches and gliding and frolicking through something that was supposed to resemble a frosty forest.
The judges didn't offer a lot in the way of criticism: Nigel told giant Will that he had to learn to move like someone smaller. He told Amber she had to start believing in herself. He told Alexa she had found her internal light. And he told George that he was a shining beacon of light in the dark.
Mary repeated everything Nigel said, and Zooey commended them for being a team “because if one person messed up … the whole thing … would’ve tumbled out of control.” Because generally, you know, that’s the gist of a group routine.
Back to the Green Mile we went to discover the fate of the three remaining ballroom dancers among the Top 35: That would be BFFs Whitney Carson and Lindsay Arnold, plus Nick Carter (no, no that Nick Carter).
Nick was first up, and he wept through his intro package, telling the viewing audiences that he’s felt like he’s been in the shadows his whole life and he’s finally ready to emerge. Once he got in front of the judges, the waterworks began again, creating some profound awkwardness as the judges stared at him blankly. Then, Tyce broke the good news — he was in! — and Nick collapsed in a new heap of tears.
Cat sent Whitney and Lindsay into the judges’ room together, which prompted lots of unbearable and affected squealing from both of them and also eradicated any suspicion that either of them would be eliminated. Mary told them the judges were looking for one ballroom girl, but golly gee, they all adored both girls! What a conundrum. They tried to pull a fast one by admitting Whitney first and then belatedly inviting both ladies to join the Top 20, but I don’t even think Lindsay was faked out.
The ballroomers performed to “Dance Again” (what would a Fox show be without a little JLo?), and it honestly seemed under-rehearsed and a little frantic, but it was still more entertaining than the forest-prance from earlier. Mary was so impressed that she had to fan down Nigel, and then Zooey told Nick she feared for his life as he attempted to contend with the two “firecrackers” onstage with him. Nigel, tragically, wasn’t given an opportunity to speak.
Back to Green Mile we went to learn the fates of the three classical dancers. The girl, Eliana, was up first, but she looks so much like Brittany Murphy pre-makeover in Clueless that it was hard to focus on what she was saying. After she was added to the Top 20, it was time to decide between the two boys, both of whom make careers of dancing: There’s David Baker, otherwise known as the Australian version of Sean from The Bachelorette, and Chehon, who was repeatedly told during Vegas Week that he needed to loosen up.
Nigel told the two of them that they put the judges in a quandary: They couldn’t decide whether to choose consistency or flashes of sheer brilliance. But just like they did with the ballroom girls, the judges tried to fake out the boys and ended up putting both of them through.
Next: A life performance straight out of Riverdance.In their live performance, Eliana wore a tutu made of shards of glass and the boys wore nothing but tights, and there were lots of bass-enhanced flashing lights that made a slow-starting routine come alive into something almost Riverdance-y. That’s a compliment.
They got a standing O from the judges, and Mary called Eliana a ballet warrior and didn’t say anything about the boys, instead choosing to WOOOO at them excessively.
The two jazz dancers were up next at the Green Mile, and it would be Tiffany versus Audrey, who look so much alike that it’s nearly impossible to tell them apart when they’re talking. You might remember Audrey, however, as the girl who makes farting noises with her arm, which helps.
They faced the judges separately, and when Tiffany got the good news and then reentered the holding room squealing and screaming, Audrey looked positively ill. But have no fear! She made it, too, which led me to wonder whether the judges actually planned on cutting anyone during Wednesday’s episode.
And they would! They cut a girl named Abigail and three other ladies, all of whom went unseen and unheard in Vegas.
Then it was time for Janelle Isis, who was gunning to become the first-ever belly-dancer in the SYTYCD Top 20. Obviously, she made it — but not just because she’s the front-runner to become the judges’ pet. She’s one of the only dancers I’ve remembered every week. Not only is she unique, but she’s captivating to watch, and she also bumped her head on the doorframe as she left the judges’ room, which solidified her awesomeness.
Janelle didn’t perform on the live show because she fell mysteriously ill, and instead, Audrey and Tiffany dressed as Na’vi and performed to “Sail,” which you might remember was Chehon’s audition song. Zooey told them they were amazing and that the choreography was incredible (it was — good job, Sonya!) and she commended the ladies for not trying to upstage each other. She then referred to Tiffany as “embodied,” which I’m pretty sure isn’t an adjective.
The second hour of the 200th show began with Joshua Alexander, who you may remember as the guy who attempted a back-flip backstage before the final solos in Vegas and landed flat on his back before being whisked off in an ambulance. The judges told him they thought he was very good and were glad he could stand again, but he wouldn’t be part of the Top 20. Thanks for the closure, though. After Joshua, Blake, Jasmine and Daniel were also cut.
Matthew Kazmierczak was immediately admitted to the Top 20, and then it was judgment time for Dareian Kujawa, the guy who earned the terrible-feet decree from Nigel during his first audition. Apparently, he “softened his bricks” enough to advance in the competition.
Then, it was down to three girls, and there were two spots left. Janaya French was first up to visit the judges. She auditioned in L.A. and was told by Nigel that she had everything going for her; during Vegas week, Adam told her that he’d never noticed her before but she really stood out. Still, she seemed to fly under the radar (possibly because 83 percent of all Vegas screen time was afforded to Alexa) and worried she was done for as she waited in the holding room.
But she made it! And that left two girls and one spot: Amelia, the wannabe silent movie actress, versus Jill Johnson, for whom the judges had no complaints but who still seemed dangerously anonymous to those of us watching at home. There was a moment of comedy when, in the midst of their pre-juding interview package with Cat, Janaya burst into the holding room and announced that she made it. Both Amelia and Jill pretended to be happy for her, but their FML expressions were far more telling than their words.
The judges chose Amelia based on “star quality,” and then she, Dareian, Janaya and Matthew performed in something that seemed like a reprise of the opening-number forest dance, though slightly more engaging. They got a standing O, too, and Zooey told them she felt like she was watching a painting. It was at that point that it started to become painful to listen to her speak.
That gave us 17 confirmed finalists and three remaining spots, all of which would go to guys. Among the remaining hopefuls was martial arts-fusion dancer Cole Horibe. As he appeared before the panel, Mary told him she’d never seen anyone like him and he showed virtually no weaknesses, so he got one well-deserved spot. Sadly, that meant tappers Aaron and Zach were cut, making this year’s Top 20 tragically tapper-less.
Steppers Devon McCullough and Brandon Mitchell, both of whom I swear I’ve never seen before even though I’ve watched every episode, entered the judges’ room together, well aware that only one of them would make it out alive. Brandon was the chosen one, but Devon was adorably happy for him, so it wasn’t too sad.
And then we had one spot — one measly spot left — and two dancers: It came down to Cyrus, the super-awesome animator who struggled through much of the choreography during Vegas week, and Feliciano, who seemed to fly through Vegas with flying colors. Why did I feel like Cyrus would be the one to make it through anyway? The star-quality argument, perhaps. And the fact that I’m pretty sure this is the first we’ve seen of Feliciano. And I would be right. I’m pretty happy about it, though, since Cyrus is my unabashed fave.
Cyrus, Brandon and Cole danced a tribute to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game to be held on Fox in July (no, I'm not joking), and aside from the shameless cross-promotion, it was by far the best routine of the night. They all wore mock baseball uniforms, and a PA announcer read cute little bios about them before they started dancing. The part where they broke their bats over their knees was pretty baller, too.
Cyrus didn’t appear to be struggling with the choreography at all, though Cole definitely was the standout — he seemed like the most versatile and the most agile. The whole routine was gimmicky but super cute, and now the date of the All-Star Game (JULY 10 JULY 10 JULY 10) is drilled into my head forevermore.
At the end of the show, we got a performance from all 10 girls, choreographed by Travis Wall and based on the journey of advancing throughout all of the audition rounds to reach the pinnacle. Travis said he threw in a bunch of hard tricks because he was confident the girls could do them, and he wasn't wrong. They floated and arched and leapt their ways back and forth through a giant white door sitting in the middle of the stage, and though the routine was a bit morose on the heels of the awesome baseball-themed number (and a tiny bit cheesy), it was still enjoyable.
Nigel said that the routine flowed and had a lot of body to it, and then Cat asked Zooey if she thought it was ethereal. Zooey didn't know what that meant so she just pulled a Paula Abdul and called them all beautiful.
The Top 10 boys performed a routine choreographed by Sonya, meant to portray "the fight it would take to maintain themselves on the show." Sonya said she loves blood, sweat, and tears, so that is what she tried to evoke. Rawr. She made all of the guys take off their shirts, and despite protests from Will — who felt "jiggly” — Sonya insisted because she wanted all the guys to feel like they had nothing to hide.
Cole must have felt right at home in this routine because it seemed to have a lot of martial arts-influence, and it also had some male-on-male partnering, which was unexpected but made the whole spectacle far more dynamic. As they cut to Sonya aggressively fist-pumping during the applause, I found myself simultaneously amused and terrified.
Nigel told the guys they proved how much athleticism it takes to be a male dancer, and Zooey said, "Wow," and that's pretty much it.
The final routine of the night was a Top 20 party choreographed by Mia Michaels. All of the contestants wore black leotards and Star Trek glasses, and much of the routine involved them standing in a line and, one by one, pushing their glasses on top of their heads. Poetic. It seemed a bit dull and chaotic to me (and confusing, apparently, to Zooey, whose eyes darted nervously as she was forced to applaud), but the judges were too enthralled with Mia Michaels to give a critique.
And there you have it, folks. Your Top 20. What did you think of the selections? Is there anyone missing from this crew? Who's your early pick to win?
[Image: Fox]
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The magical R-rating is both a gift and a curse to Adam Sandler's signature brand of lowbrow humor. In That's My Boy the comedian returns to the dim-witted roots that made him a star in early outings like Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore (complete with high-pitched mushmouth accent) but with a ramped up "ew" factor. Unrestrained Sandler piles on as many expletives and gross-out scenarios as a two-hour movie can hold — and it works out quite well. With costar Samberg nailing the disgusted straight man role Sandler's penchant for acting like a fool is enhanced by the sick stylings of director Sean Anders (Sex Drive) and only occasionally teetering into truly offensive territory. Laughs aren't guaranteed but the movie provokes (which is a big step up from Jack and Jill).
Back in the '80s Donny had a secret relationship with his teacher Ms. McGarricle that resulted in a son Han Solo (he's a middle schooler what do you expect?). The torrid affair put McGarricle in jail Donny into celebrity tabloid spotlight and Han Solo in the hands of a tween father. Thirty years later everyone's screwed up: Donny (Adam Sandler) is a drunk on the brink of jail time for tax evasion McGarricle's still in jail and Han Solo (Andy Samberg) now "Todd " is a successful number-cruncher with severe social issues. On the weekend of Todd's wedding Donny reenters his life hoping to bring revive their relationship and reunite him with his mother — that is on camera so Donny can make $50 000 from a gossip TV show and stay out of the slammer. Posing as Todd's long-lost best friend Donny stirs up trouble becoming buddies with Todd's friends and family and acting like a imbecile.
The wedding setup is overdone but always prime for comedy: plenty for a numbskull to screw up logical progression (there's a wedding at the end!) and a bachelor party scene to squeeze in the most disgusting bits and have them make sense. That's My Boy makes the most of its conventions — including what we all know and expect from a Sandler comedy — by continually one-upping itself. After a night of heavy drinking at the local strip club/omelette bar that results in do-it-yourself ear piercing and robbing a convenience store with Vanilla Ice Todd returns home to expel the night's worth of drinking all over his fiancee's wedding dress. Then he makes love to the dress. Then his fiancee (Leighton Meester) wakes up to find the dress. Then it goes even further than one would care to imagine. Grossed out yet? Amazingly lower-than-low brow material is handled with clever timing and great delivery. It's just that the foundation is bodily fluids.
That's My Boy falters when it throws in gags that serve zero purpose to the story. Strange racist humor a mentally retarded bar patron played by Nick Swardson (a Sandler mainstay) random allusions to Todd Bridges' drug habits — barrel-scraping one-offs that have nothing to do with the movie. At two hours the movie needs slimming and the fat is apparent. Thankfully the main ensemble goes to great lengths to make the hard R comedy click with Sandler and Samberg playing well off each other (although Samberg doesn't have the making of a leading man after this movie) and SNL alums like Will Forte Rachel Dratch and Ana Gasteyer driving by to bring the funny. Even Vanilla Ice's extended cameo fits the anything-goes tone playing a version of himself that befriended Donny in his celebrity days. Now he works at an ice skating rink.
After a few lame ducks That's My Boy is a return to form for Sandler. It wavers in quality but it has energy and color. A cash-in this is not and for any Sandler fan with a stomach for hardcore bathroom humor it's a must-see.
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While not as mainstream or easily accessible as the Hollywood film scene and its awards show The Oscars, The Tonys, the entertainment industry's annual celebration of all things Broadway, may be just as important as its big screen counterpart. Maybe even more so — a Tony win can lead to recognition in puts the spotlight on a show, actor or creative behind-the-scenes contributor. Suddenly, their theatrical endeavor is mainstream, and so is everything they do after. The Tonys is a career making show — the Academy Awards can't always say the same.
Tonight's show could kickstart a number of careers. Find out who the winners are by keeping up with this page all night! The Tonys begin tonight, June 10, at 8 EST on CBS. The winners appear in bold:
Best Play
Claybourne Park
Other Desert Cities
Peter and the Starcatcher
Venus in Fur
Best Musical
Leap of Faith
Newsies
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Once
Best Book of a Musical
Lysistra Jones, Douglas Carter Beane
Newsies, Harvey Fierstein
Nice Work If You Can Get It, Joe DiPietro
Once, Enda Walsh
Best Original Score
Bonnie &amp; Clyde, Music: Frank Wildhorn, Lyrics: Don Black
Newsies, Music: Alan Menken, Lyrics: Jack Feldman
One Man, Two Guvnors, Music &amp; Lyrics: Grant Olding
Peter and the Starcatcher, Music: Wayne Barker, Lyrics: Rick Elice
Best Revival of a Play
Death of a Salesman
Gore Vidal's The Best Man
Master Class
Wit
Best Revival of a Musical
Evita
Follies
The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess
Jesus Christ Superstar
Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
James Corden, One Man, Two Guvnors
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Death of a Salesman
James Earl Jones, Gore Vidal's The Best Man
Frank Langella, Man and Boy
John Lithgow, The Columnist
Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Nina Arianda, Venus in Fur
Trcie Bennett, End of the Rainbow
Stockard Channing, Other Desert Cities
Linda Lavin, The Lyons
Cynthia Nixon, Wit
Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Danny Burstein, Follies
Jeremy Jordan, Newsies
Steve Kazee, Once
Norm Lewis, The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess
Rob Raines, Follies
Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Jam Maxwell, Follies
Audra McDonald, The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess
Cristin MIlloti, Once
Kelli O'Hara, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Laura Osnes Bonnie &amp; Clyde
Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Tom Edden, One Man, Two Guvnors
Christian Borle, Peter and the Starcatcher
Michael Cumpsty, End of the Rainbow
Andrew Garfield, Death of a Salesman
Jeremy Shamos, Clybourne Park
Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Spencer Kayden, Don't Dress for Dinner
Celia Keenan-Bolger, Peter and the Starcatcher
Judith Light, Other Desert Cities
Linda Emond, Death of a Salesman
Condola Rashad, Stick Fly
Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Phillip Boykin, em>The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess
Michael Cerveris, Evita
Michael McGrath, Nice Work If You Can Get It
David Alan Grier, The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess
Josh Young Jesus Christ Superstar
Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Jayne Houdyshell, Follies
Jessie Mueller, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
Elizabeth A. Davis, Once
Judy Kaye, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Da'Vine Joy Randoplh Ghost the Musical
Best Direction of a Play
Nicholas Hytner, One Man, Two Guvnors
Mike Nichols, Death of a Salesman
Pam MacKinnon, Clybourne Park
Roger Rees and Alex Timbers, Peter and the Starcatcher
Best Direction of a Musical
Diane Paulus, The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess
Jeff Calhoun, Newsies
Kathleen Marshall, Nice Work If You Can Get It
John Tiffany, Once
Best Choreography
Rob Ashford, Evita
Christopher Gattelli, Newsies
Kathleen Marshall, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Steven Hoggett, Once
Best Orchestrations
William David Brohn and Christopher Jahnke, The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess
Danny Troob, Newsies
Bill Elliot, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Martin Lowe, Once
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Daniel Ostling, Claybourne Park
John lee Beatty, Other Desert Cities
Donyale Werle, Peter and the Starcatcher
Mark Thompson, One Man, Two Guvnors
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Rob Howell and Jon Driscoll, Ghost the Musical
Tobin Ost and Sven Ortel, Newsies
George Tsypin, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Bob Crowley, Once
Best Costume Design of a Play
Paul Tazewell, A Streetcar Named Desire
Don't Dress for Dinner, William Ivey Long
Paloma Young, Peter and the Starcatcher
Mark Thompson, One Man, Two Guvnors
Best Costume Design of a Musical
ESosa, The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess
Gregg Barnes, Follies
Eiko Ishioka, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Martin Pakledinaz, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Peter Kaczorowski, The Road to Mecca
Kenneth Posner, Other Desert Cities
Jeff Croiter, Peter and the Starcatcher
Brian MacDevitt, Death of a Salesman
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Christopher Akerlind, The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess
Natasha Katz, Follies
Natasha Katz, Once
Hugh Vanstone, Ghost the Musical
Best Sound Design of a Play
Paul Arditti, One Man, Two Guvnors
Gareth Owen, End of the Rainbow
Darron L. West, Peter and the Starcatcher
Scott Lehrer, Death of a Salesman
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Acme Sound Partners, The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess
Kai Harada, Follies
Clive Goodwin, Once
Brian Ronan, Nice Work If You Can Get It
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'Once' the Musical: Can an Indie Hit Make a Broadway Smash?

Widening the thematic scope without sacrificing too much of the claustrophobia that made the original 1979 Alien universally spooky Prometheus takes the trophy for this summer's most adult-oriented blockbuster entertainment. The movie will leave your mouth agape for its entire runtime first with its majestic exploration of an alien planet and conjectures on the origins of the human race second with its gross-out body horror that leaves no spilled gut to the imagination. Thin characters feel more like pawns in Scott's sci-fi prequel but stunning visuals shocking turns and grand questions more than make up for the shallow ensemble. "Epic" comes in many forms. Prometheus sports all of them.
Based on their discovery of a series of cave drawings all sharing a similar painted design Elizabeth (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie (Logan Marshall-Green) are recruited by Weyland to head a mission to another planet one they believe holds the answers to the creation of life on Earth. Along for the journey are Vickers (Charlize Theron) the ruthless Weyland proxy Janek (Idris Elba) a blue collar captain a slew of faceless scientists and David (Michael Fassbender) HAL 9000-esque resident android who awakens the crew of spaceship Prometheus when they arrive to their destination. Immediately upon descent there's a discovery: a giant mound that's anything but natural. The crew immediately prepares to scope out the scene zipping up high-tech spacesuits jumping in futuristic humvees and heading out to the site. What they discover are the awe-inspiring creations of another race. What they bring back to the ship is what they realize may kill their own.
The first half of Prometheus could be easily mistaken for Steven Spielberg's Alien a sense of wonder glowing from every frame not too unlike Close Encounters. Scott takes full advantage of his fictional settings and imbues them with a reality that makes them even more tantalizing. He shoots the vistas of space and the alien planet like National Geographic porn and savors the interior moments on board the Prometheus full of hologram maps sleeping pods and do-it-yourself surgery modules with the same attention. Prometheus is beautiful shot in immersive 3D that never dampers Dariusz Wolski's sharp photography. Scott's direction seems less interested in the run-or-die scenario set up in the latter half of the film but the film maintains tension and mood from beginning to end. It all just gets a bit…bloodier.
Jon Spaihts' and Damon Lindelof's script doesn't do the performers any favors shuffling them to and fro between the ship and the alien construction without much room for development. Reveals are shoehorned in without much setup (one involving Theron's Vickers that's shockingly mishandled) but for the most part the ensemble is ready to chomp into the script's bigger picture conceits. Rapace is a physical performer capable of pulling off a grisly scene involving an alien some sharp objects and a painful procedure (sure to be the scene of the blockbuster season. Among the rest of the crew Fassbender's David stands out as the film's revelatory performance delivering a digestible ambiguity to his mechanical man that playfully toys with expectations from his first entrance. The creature effects in Prometheus will wow you but even Fassbender's smallest gesture can send the mind spinning. The power of his smile packs more of a punch than any facehugger.
Much like Lindelof's Lost Prometheus aims to explore the idea of asking questions and seeking answers and on Scott's scale it's a tremendous unexpected ride. A few ideas introduced to spur action fall to the way side in the logic department but with a clear mission and end point Prometheus works as a sweeping sci-fi that doesn't require choppy editing or endless explosions to keep us on the edge of our seats. Prometheus isn't too far off from the Alien xenomorphs: born from existing DNA of another creature the movie breaks out as its own beast. And it's wilder than ever.
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A kids’ movie without the cheeky jokes for adults is like a big juicy BLT without the B… or the T. Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted may have a title that sounds like it was made up in a cartoon sequel laboratory but when it comes to serving up laughs just think of the film as a BLT with enough extra bacon to satisfy even the wildest of animals — or even a parent with a gaggle of tots in tow. Yes even with that whole "Afro Circus" nonsense.
It’s not often that we find exhaustively franchised films like the Madagascar set that still work after almost seven years. Despite being spun off into TV shows and Christmas specials in addition to its big screen adventures the series has not only maintained its momentum it has maintained the part we were pleasantly surprised by the first time around: great jokes.
In this third installment of the series – the trilogy-maker if you will – directing duo Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath add Conrad Vernon (director Monsters Vs. Aliens) to the helm as our trusty gang swings back into action. Alex the lion (Ben Stiller) Marty the zebra (Chris Rock) Gloria the hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Melman the giraffe (David Schwimmer) are stuck in Africa after the hullaballoo of Madagascar 2 and they’ll do anything to get back to their beloved New York. Just a hop skip and a jump away in Monte Carlo the penguins are doing their usual greedy schtick but the zoo animals catch up with them just in time to catch the eye of the sinister animal control stickler Captain Dubois (Frances McDormand). And just like that the practically super human captain is chasing them through Monte Carlo and the rest of Europe in hopes of planting Alex’s perfectly coifed lion head on her wall of prized animals.
Luckily for pint-sized viewers Dubois’ terrifying presence is balanced out by her sheer inhuman strength uncanny guiles and Stretch Armstrong flexibility (ah the wonder of cartoons) as well as Alex’s escape plan: the New Yorkers run away with the European circus. While Dubois’ terrifying Doberman-like presence looms over the entire film a sense of levity (which is a word the kiddies might learn from Stiller’s eloquent lion) comes from the plan for salvation in which the circus animals and the zoo animals band together to revamp the circus and catch the eye of a big-time American agent. Sure the pacing throughout the first act is practically nonexistent running like a stampede through the jungle but by the time we're palling around under the big top the film finds its footing.
The visual splendor of the film (and man is there a champion size serving of it) the magnificent danger and suspense is enhanced to great effect by the addition of 3D technology – and not once is there a gratuitous beverage or desperate Crocodile Dundee knife waved in our faces to prove its worth. The caveat is that the soundtrack employs a certain infectious Katy Perry ditty at the height of the 3D spectacular so parents get ready to hear that on repeat until the leaves turn yellow.
But visual delights and adventurous zoo animals aside Madagascar 3’s real strength is in its script. With the addition of Noah Baumbach (Greenberg The Squid and the Whale) to the screenwriting team the script is infused with a heightened level of almost sarcastic gravitas – a welcome addition to the characteristically adult-friendly reference-heavy humor of the other Madagascar films. To bring the script to life Paramount enlisted three more than able actors: Vitaly the Siberian tiger (Bryan Cranston) Gia the Leopard (Jessica Chastain) and Stefano the Italian Sealion (Martin Short). With all three actors draped in European accents it might take viewers a minute to realize that the cantankerous tiger is one and the same as the man who plays an Albuquerque drug lord on Breaking Bad but that makes it that much sweeter to hear him utter slant-curse words like “Bolshevik” with his usual gusto.
Between the laughs the terror of McDormand’s Captain Dubois and the breathtaking virtual European tour the Zoosters’ accidental vacation is one worth taking. Madagascar 3 is by no means an insta-classic but it’s a perfectly suited for your Summer-at-the-movies oasis.

A decade-long gap between sequels could leave a franchise stale but in the case of Men in Black 3 it's the launch pad for an unexpectedly great blockbuster. The kooky antics of Agent J (Will Smith) and Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) don't stray far from their 1997 and 2002 adventures but without a bombardment of follow-ups to keep the series in mind the wonderfully weird sensibilities of Men in Black feel fresh Smith's natural charisma once again on full display. Barry Sonnenfeld returns for the threequel another space alien romp with a time travel twist — which turns out to be Pandora's Box for the director's deranged imagination.
As time passed in the real world so did it for the timeline in the world of Men in Black. Picking up ten years after MIB 2 J and K are continuing to protect the Earth from alien threats and enforce the law on those who live incognito. While dealing with their own personal issues — K is at his all-time crabbiest for seemingly no reason — the suited duo encounter an old enemy Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement) a prickly assassin seeking revenge on K who blew his arm off back in the '60s. Their street fight is more of a warning; Boris' real plan is to head back in time to save his arm and kill off K. He's successful prompting J to take his own leap through the time-space continuum — and team up with a younger K (Josh Brolin) to put an end to Boris plans for world domination.
Men in Black 3 is the Will Smith show. Splitting his time between the brick personalities of Jones and Brolin's K Smith struts his stuff with all the fast-talking comedic style that made him a star in yesteryears. In present day he's still the laid back normal guy in a world of oddities — J raises an eyebrow as new head honcho O (Emma Thompson) delivers a eulogy in a screeching alien tongue but coming up with real world explanations for flying saucer crashes comes a little easier. But back in 1969 he's an even bigger fish out water. Surprisingly director Barry Sonnenfeld and writer Etan Cohen dabble in the inherent issues that would spring up if a black gentlemen decked out in a slick suit paraded around New York in the late '60s. A star of Smith's caliber may stray away from that type of racy humor but the hook of Men in Black 3 is the actor's readiness for anything. He turns J's jokey anachronisms into genuine laughs and doesn't mind letting the special effect artists stretch him into an unrecognizable Twizzler for the movie's epic time jump sequence.
Unlike other summer blockbusters Men in Black 3 is light on the action Sonnenfeld utilizing his effects budget and dazzling creature work (by the legendary Rick Baker) to push the comedy forward. J's fight with an oversized extraterrestrial fish won't keep you on the edge of your seat but his slapstick escape and the marine animal's eventual demise are genuinely amusing. Sonnenfeld carries over the twisted sensibilities he displayed in small screen work like Pushing Daisies favoring bizarre banter and elaborating on the kookiness of the alien underworld than battle scenes. MIB3's chase scene is passable but the movie in its prime when Smith is sparring with Brolin and newcomer Michael Stuhlbarg who steals the show as a being capable of seeing the future. His twitchy character keeps Smith and the audience on their toes.
Men in Black 3 digs up nostalgia I wasn't aware I had. Smith's the golden boy of summer and even with modern ingenuity keeping it fresh — Sonnenfeld uses the mandatory 3D to full and fun effect — there's an element to the film that feels plucked from another era. The movie is economical and slight with plenty of lapses in logic that will provoke head scratching on the walk out of the theater but it's also perfectly executed. After ten years of cinematic neutralizing the folks behind Men in Black haven't forgotten what made the first movie work so well. After al these years Smith continues to make the goofy plot wild spectacle and crazed alien antics look good.
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Earlier this year (12), film bosses announced that Daniel Craig would sip cold Heineken in the new Bond movie after signing a reported $45 million (GBP28 million) marketing deal with the Dutch beer company.
And now Lazenby, who played Bond in 1969 film On Her Majesty's Secret Service, has voiced his disapproval, insisting the superspy should always be a vodka Martini man .
Taking a shot at the movie bosses for abandoning long-standing tradition just to make a profit, he tells TMZ.com, "(Filmmakers) go where the money is".
And the Australian actor insists chiefs could have at least selected a better brew: "It's not the best beer out there, either."

The suave superspy first burst onto the big screen in 1962's Dr. No and went on to become one of the icons of modern cinema.
To celebrate the franchise's 50th birthday this year (12), officials at this month's (May12) French film festival will screen 007's debut cinema outing along with its follow-up From Russia with Love, George Lazenby's sole turn as the spy in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Sean Connery's swansong in 1971's Diamonds Are Forever, and current Bond star Daniel Craig's debut in Casino Royale.
The films, which have all been digitally enhanced, will be shown free to the public at an outdoor theatre on Cannes Beach. The screenings mark the start of a year-long series of global events celebrating the franchise's anniversary.
In a joint statement, MGM and Sony executives said, "The screenings in Cannes mark a year-long celebration, including a return to theatres worldwide of some of the classic Bond films."

There's probably still someone somewhere that would fall for one of Sacha Baron Cohen's weird and wooly scenarios but let's face the facts: the days when Ali G. could snag an interview with Pat Buchanan or Gore Vidal are long gone. 2009's Bruno definitely let some steam out of Borat's tires not to mention the ensuing lawsuits. But it's refreshing to see Cohen and his Borat/Bruno cohort director Larry Charles flex their muscles in the fictional universe of The Dictator a vehicle that doesn't skimp on their signature cringe-worthy humor.
The world of The Dictator gives them the leeway to create crazy spectacles — at one point Cohen's General Aladeen rides down Fifth Avenue on a camel surrounded by a giant motorcade. Having a plot helps too; although part of the genius of Sacha Baron Cohen's schtick is how the viewer is made culpable by proxy by our amusement and horror at how he tricks and torments people who aren't in on the joke The Dictator continues the self-reflexive satirical bite. We're certainly not off the hook. Aladeen says and does truly outrageous things but they're also exaggerations of the world we live in. It might be a stretch to call Sacha Baron Cohen the British Lenny Bruce or George Carlin in a face merkin but rest assured that no topic is off limits. If you are offended by jokes about abortion rape feminists body hair race religion politics STDs war crimes ethnic cleansing necrophilia and/or bestiality don't even bother. However if you like the kind of comedy that makes you hide your face in your hands feeling like each laugh is being pried from you against your will you're in business.
Cohen eats up the screen as both General Aladeen and his incredibly dumb body double; the latter prefers the intimate company of one of his goats to a human while the former is a fairly stupid ruthless dictator whose own people are so disloyal to him that they actually ignore his commands to execute people. (He really likes to execute people.) When he arrives in New York City to attend a summit at the UN his uncle Tamir (Ben Kingsley) has the two switched so he can easily manipulate the "General" into signing a treaty to make Wadiya a democracy and reap the financial benefits. Aladeen finds refuge with Zoe a hairy-pitted activist who thinks he's a political dissident and is excited to be able to give him a safe haven in her touchy-feely Brooklyn grocery co-op. Instead of being typecast as another blonde dummy Anna Faris is finally given room to play as the wide-eyed naïf who takes Aladeen's very serious statements as jokes or simple miscommunications. She's a great foil to Baron Cohen who is easily half a foot taller than she is and has a wolfish grin. Their banter is often the most politically incorrect of the bunch but also the funniest.
Alas the plot. It's a bare bones situation to get a very broad character from A to B. Aladeen is obviously an outlandish mishmash of modern dictators; he spouts racist misogynist rhetoric endlessly and after a while...yeah we get it. However like all of Sacha Baron Cohen's humor The Dictator also takes a direct shot at Western countries (specifically the United States) which would be all fine and dandy if he didn't wedge an expository speech in about it as well. The problem with making a traditional narrative movie is that with some exceptions you've got to play within the guidelines. The Dictator isn't trying to do anything fancy; all it needs a few big beats and a neat ending to wrap it all up. It doesn't quite manage to tie it all together in a way that makes The Dictator more than an hour and a half or so of laughing and cringing.
Besides Faris and Kingsley there are a number of cameos by a very wide variety of comics and actors. Megan Fox plays herself Kevin Corrigan appears as a creepy dude who works at the co-op John C. Reilly is a racist security guard and Fred Armisen runs an anti-Aladeen café in New York's Little Wadiya district. The very funny Jason Mantzoukas has a large role as Nadal the former head of rocket science who was supposedly executed for not making Aladeen's nuclear warhead pointy. It's a good ensemble and hopefully Sacha Baron Cohen's next feature-length film will build on The Dictator's weaknesses.